Fujiwara Denka no Hoto (Wa handle) Santoku

Fujiwara San combines the incredible edge-taking capabilities of his own choice of Super Blue steel Chigusa-kou with a layer of stainless steel to create a knife that is truly a privilege to own.

The Santoku blade shape will be new to a lot of Westerners but once you've used it you'll see that it make a lot of sense. Santoku literally translates to "3 uses" (slicing, dicing and mincing) which makes it a perfect all round choice and an essential in any kitchen.

What we thought about this knife

We have personally tested and reviewed this knife to give you an honest and personal opinion about it and this is how it rates. Remember these scores are a reflection of the company these knives keep, all our knives are great (or we wouldn't sell them) but we can't give them all 5/5. A low score doesn't mean it's a poor knife, it just might be out-trumped by one of our other amazing knives.

5 / 5Overall performance

Simply sensational. The hardness of the steel creates and edge that remains true and sharp for a long time even by Japanese knife standards.

The knife glides through everything put in its path with a very smooth feel - you'll want to make more food than you need!

5 / 5Beauty

Rugged and solid looking, with the Japanese style blade and half tang traditional octagonal Japanese Wa handle, they're subtle but at the same time leave you in no doubt that they're ready to perform in the kitchen.

5 / 5Durability

The 65:66 HRC edge will retain its sharpness an incredibly long time, you'll be able to go longer periods without the edge dulling.

You will of course need to maintain the edge with a honing rod as with all knives but you'll find the amount of honing is less than many other knives.

5 / 5Ease of care

Easy to care for if you follow the normal rules of not putting it in a dishwasher and just rinse and dry after use. It does have a super blue carbon core so there may be some rusting and patina possible over time. The rusting is easy to scrub off and perfectly normal along with the edge darkening over time as it develops a patina.

5 / 5Comfort

The octagonal handle and balance of the knife gives a comfortable and easy feel and the finger groove on the blade of the bigger knives creates an additional balance point that helps guide the knife through food.

5 / 5Value for money

Despite the high price, we still feel this range offers excellent value for money when you take into account the fact each knife is still handmade by Teruyasu Fujiwara and that the forging process used creates such a sensationally hard steel.

The Denka range is a glimpse of some of the highest quality Japanese knives money can buy so while it's a considered purchase, it's one you won't regret!

Our aim is to measure everything as accurately as possible but some specifications (such as hardness for example) are provided by the manufacturer and therefore should be used as a guide only.

What you get with the knife

A gold or grain patterned card storage box with black inlay and on the front - a photo of Teruyasu Fujiwara, as he makes every single knife you get to see the man himself.

You'll also get our normal knife care guide card and a couple of plasters just in case you have any little accidents!

All our knives also come with free blue plasters just in case you're not ready for the sharpness! If you intend to use your knives regularly then we don't advise you to use the boxes for day to day storage, get a magnetic knife rack instead.

What is a Santuko style knife?

Looking like a small chef's knife, the Santoku (san-too-koo) is a Japanese knife used for chopping vegetables and meats. It's possible it might become your new favourite knife.